Body-rest.



G. WOOD.

BODY BEST.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17, 1912.

Patented May 6, 1913.

WWA/5655s uoLuMBlA PLANuuRAPM cu., WASHINGTON. u. c,

uni sa GEORGE WOOD, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

BODY-REST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 6,1913.

Application filed July 17, 1912. Serial No. 709,870.

To @ZZ whom 25 may concern:

Be it Aknown that I, GEORGE VooD, a citi- Zen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Body-Rests, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that. principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

The present invention relates generally to what may be termed body-rests, and its general object is the provision of a device which may be placed on a bed or couch so that a person lying upon the bed or couch may rest the upper part of his body on the device.p

The supporting member proper of the device is capable of adjustment to dilferent angles, and the present invention provides such a device characterized by easy adjustment.

'Io the accomplishment of the foregoing and related objects, said invent-ion, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of the various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawingz-Figure 1 is a rear perspective view of a device embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a section taken on a plane between the spaced bars of the lazytong, and Fig. 3 is a section on the line A-A-in Fig. 2.

The device comprisesa base 1 formed by a suitable frame-work, and hinged to the base at 2 are the side members 3 of a frame which comprises, with the side members, a top cross-piece. A iexible support 4, which is preferably formed of canvas, is secured over the side members 3 of the frame, and suitably secured as by the lacing 5. Slotted bars 6 are removably fitted over the covered side and top members of the hinged frame and are held in place merely by friction, the bars 6 giving the hinged support a more ornamental appearance.

Suitably secured at the outer end of the base is a transversely extending rod 7 provided at its opposite ends with stops 8, while slidable on the rod are two blocks 9. Springs 10, disposed between the respective blocks and stops, tend to prevent outward movement, or separation, of the blocks. Secured to the corresponding end of the hinged support is a transversely extending rod 11 provided at its outer ends with stops 12, while slidable on the rod are two blocks 13. Springs 14, disposed between the respective blocks and stops, and a spring 15 disposed between the two blocks 13, tend to restrain outer movement, or separation, of the blocks.

A lazy-tong 16 has the free ends of its upper levers pivoted to the respective blocks 13, and the free ends of its lower levers pivoted to the respective blocks 9, and a spring 17, secured preferably to the joints of the levers, tends to extend the lazy-tong and is of suliicient force to normally hold the lazytong in its extended position.

Secured at one end to one of the blocks 9 is a transversely extending bar 18 which is provided at its free end with a plurality of teeth 19 which are adapted to selectively engage a pin 20 secured to the other block 9. Normally, the pin 20 is in engagement with one of the teeth 19, and the teeth are so shaped. that during such engagement the bar 18, which obviously is moved by movement of the lazy-tong, is free to allow extension of the lazy-tong, but will prevent its contraction. A member 21 is pivoted to the base below the bar 18, and by pulling upon its outer end by a cord or chain 22 it will be rocked suiliciently to raise the bar 18 to disengage any ofthe teeth thereon from the pin 20, thusallowing further contraction of the lazy-tong with the consequent lowering of the hinged support.

In operation, the device is bodily placed on a bed, for instance, and a person lying upon the bed may recline against the hinged support. Since the spring 17 normally holds the lazy-tong in full extended position, and since the pin 2O is normally in engagement with one of the teeth 19, the hinged support will be secured in its uppermost position. If the user desires to lower the support, a slight pull on the cord 22 will disengage the engaging tooth from the pin 20, and the weight of the users body, especially if a little pressure be exerted, will lower the support to any desired position and upon the release ofthe cord 22 the pin 2O will engage another of the teeth 19 and secure the support from lowering beyond that selected position. If, now, the user desires to again lower the support, he may do so by pulling on the cord 22, but he may raise the support merely by raising his body,

and in doing this he is aided by the force of. the spring 17, the primary object of the i has adjusted the support to some position in which the lazy-tong is partially contracted, and wishes to secure the support in that posi tion so that it will not rise therefrom, he may engage one of the hooks 25, carried by cord 24, onto a projection 23 secured to the hinged support.

The general object of the frame construction illustrated, especially in Fig. 3, is to provide a iiexible body support which may be changed or removed when desired, and yet at the same time to make the support sightly when in use.

It is to be noted that the base 1 is composed of two side members joined at their outer ends by a cross member' 26 with angular braces 27 extending from the member 26 to the side members near the ends at which the supporting frame is hinged. Neither the base 1 nor the hinged sup-port has any cross bar at the hinged end, or near the hinged end. This construction is important, for it allows the user to lower the support until it is almost level, and the absence of cross bars not only makes possible the lowering to this extent, but also renders the device thoroughly comfortable in its lowest position. It is therefore unnecessary when the user wishes to lie substantially flat on the bed to remove the body-rest from the bed.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed pron vided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a base; a support hinged to the base; an extensible member disposed between the base and support; a spring tending to extend said member; means operable by movement of said member adapted in a plurality of positions of the member to restrain its contraction; and means for releasing said restraining means.

2. In ar device of the character described, the combination of a base; a support hinged to the base; an extensible member disposed between the base and support; a spring tending to extend said member; a bar provided with a plurality of teeth; a projection, said bar and projection being relatively movable by movement of said member, said projection being normally in engagement with one of said teeth and adapted to restrain contraction of said member; and means for disengaging the tooth and projection.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a base; a support hinged to the base; an extensible member disposed between the base and support; a spring tending to extend said member; a bar provided with a plurality of teeth, said bar being movable by movementof said member; a projection normally engaging one of said teeth and adapted to restrain contraction, but not extension, of said member; and means for disengaging the tooth and projection.

, 4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a base; a support hinged to the base; a lazy-tong slidably connected at its opposite ends to the support and the basel; a spring tending to extend said lazy-tong; a bar secured to said lazy-tong and movable by movement of the lazy-tong, said bar being provided with a plurality of teeth; a projection normally engaging one of said teeth and adapted to restrain contraction, but not extension, of said lazy-tong; and means `for disengaging the tooth and projection.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a base; a support hinged at one end to the base; a transverse rod secured to the support near the opposite end; a second transverse rod secured to the base near its corresponding end; two blocks slidable on the iirst rod; two blocks slidable on the second rod; a lazy-tong secured at its ends to said blocks; a` spring tending to extend said lazy-tong; a bar pivoted at one end to one of the blocks on the second rod and provided near its opposite end with a plurality of teeth; a pin secured to the other block on the second rod and normally engaging one of said teeth and adapted to restrain contraction, but not extension, of said lazy-tong; and a trip adapted to raise said bar to disengage said tooth and said pin.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a base; a support hinged at one end to the base; a transverse tending to extend said lazy-tong; a bar pived to raise said bar to disengage said tooth oted at one end to one of the blocks on the and said pin.

l O second rod and provided near its opposite Signed by me this 11th day of July, 1912.

end with a plurality of teeth; a pin secured to the other block on the second rod and GEORGE WOOD' normally engaging one of said teeth and Attested byadapted to restrain contraction, but not eX- ROBERT M. SEE,

tension, of said lazy-tong; and a trip adapt- ANNA L. GILL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained fox` ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

